The novel by the author of The Road through the Ruins is about a family torn apart by grief and secrecy, but after the First World War hope brings them back together...

England, 1922

It's been four years since Rudy's brother Edgar disappeared in war-torn France. Deep grief and unanswered questions prevent Rudy and his mother from moving on. When the mysterious Mariette arrives, claiming to be Edgar's widow and the mother of his child, Rudy asks her to stay, hoping to learn more about the missing chapters of Edgar's life story. Mariette charms Rudy, who after a while is no longer bound to her by shared loss and grief, but also by the possibility of a new love. However, the information received from Mariette raises new questions about Edgar's death, and the suspicion arises that Mariette has been lying about his identity all along.

Suspicion and secrets eventually lead Rudy to investigate what happened himself, and while chasing the truth across countries, he is also forced to face the horrors and consequences of a war in which he himself could never participate. Will the truth set her free or will it forever shadow her life?

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"A touching love story embedded in an exciting plot, which you definitely should

worth reading." - Historical Novel Society

"The novel both shed light on the long-term effects of the war and filled me up

with hope while showing how far a person can go to protect the ones they love and keep the promises they made to them." - Jodi

Warshaw, the editor

"This beautiful story of love and devotion opened my eyes to the lasting trauma that soldiers carried with them after they left the battlefield. We have now made serious strides in dealing with it. But during the First World War, we did not yet have a clear understanding of this phenomenon. Many the soldiers were blamed, accused of cowardice and hypocrisy." - Jodi Warshaw, the editor